Children are full of amazing potential and, giving them everything they need to make the most of it, is something the St. Patrick’s team takes very seriously. We understand that each and every child needs a happy, healthy environment for learning and playing and our day nursery is dedicated to helping parents provide just that. Children at St. Patrick’s benefit immensely from the rich, stimulating environment and the wealth of learning opportunities that are available to them.

Our aim is to bring out the personality of each child and meet individual needs through a relaxed learning atmosphere.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)
The first five years of a child’s life is a period of rapid physical and intellectual growth. Recognising the vital importance and formative nature of learning, constant effort is made to ensure that every experience offered to the child is of the highest possible quality. The EYFS framework is broad and balanced and provides progression to the wholeness and all round development of the child which is kept at the forefront of all curriculum planning. Children within the Foundation Stage experience seven areas of learning and development; three are referred to as The Prime Areas and the other four are The Specific Areas. The three prime areas are crucial for igniting children’s curiosity and enthusiasm for learning, and building their capacity to learn, form relationships and thrive.

The three prime areas are:

• Communication and language
• Physical development
• Personal, social and emotional development

The specific areas are:

• Literacy
• Mathematics
• Understanding the world
• Expressive arts and design

Montessori Method
The Montessori Method is a method of educating children, based on the research and developments of Italian educator Maria Montessori (1870 – 1952). She has dedicated to studying child development and spent a greater part of her life writing, lecturing and teaching about these practices. The Montessori Method believes that a teacher’s role is to aid and support the child’s exploration and creativity, while the child learns from their environment and other children; at their own pace. This method has shown to help foster independence, confidence, a sense of pride in their achievements and positive self-esteem from an early age.
Areas in Montessori

• Practical Life/Everyday Life Activities
  Practical life lessons involve children carrying out exercises such as polishing, transferring, pouring and threading. Through these simple tasks children learn to concentrate, self-motivate, be confident and become independent.
• Sensorial
  Sensorial lessons take the children through tasks involving textures, smells, weight, sounds, comparisons and sequencing. These tasks help children develop awareness, sensitivity and observation and prepare them for the theories of Mathematics.
• Mathematics
  Practical life and sensorial methods introduce the basics of mathematics into the child’s learning. Therefore, here they learn to count, combine, share, compare and really learn to understand mathematical concepts.
• Language and Literacy
  These lessons introduce phonetic sounds of the alphabet to lead the child towards writing, reading, developing their vocabulary and self-expression.
• Cultural
  Books and role play are used for children to learn new and different cultures. We also educate the child on history, geography, biology, science, cookery and animal care; along with the celebrations of global festivals all of which help the child understand and appreciate all diversities.

Progress check at two
The nursery supplies parents with a short written summary of their child’s development in the three prime areas of learning and development when the child is aged between 24-36 months. This progress check enables early identification of development needs so that additional support can be put in place, if necessary.
Observation and Assessment
Observation, assessment and record keeping are important parts of the educational process which begins as the child starts nursery. Observations are made by all adults, who are involved with the child, including: parents/carers, nursery staff, students and other professionals. At the nursery an initial assessment is based on information from the home setting shared by parents and carers with staff, in addition to information from other settings and agencies.

Settling in

Once you have accepted our offer of a place at St. Patrick’s you will be given a start date from whence you will start your monthly fee payments.
Prior to that start date we will book in a fortnight of visiting times for you and your child to get used to the ambience and set-up of the room in which they will be starting.

On the first day one parent/carer (or both) and your child will come mid-morning and stay together in the room for approximately an hour. This gives your child a taster of the activities, the toys, the people and the atmosphere with the security of being close to their parent. Parents get the chance to chat to the staff, giving them an insight into your child’s likes and dislikes, habits, routines and little foibles.

From the second day onwards you both come for a little longer each day and after the third day you would probably leave them for about half an hour (…. and go and have a little worried walk around the block!) During the first few days we ask you to bring your child’s milk/drink and food if they would normally eat or drink during the period you are at the nursery. Gradually, over the fortnight, you come for longer and leave them for a longer amount of time, so that, by the end of the fortnight, they stay for half a day including lunchtime. We do not charge during this visiting period.

When it’s time for your child to move from one room to another, there is a gradual visiting regime over four weeks. They will start with a brief visit with their Key Worker for an hour or so. This builds up to your toddler being dropped off by you in their current room, spending most of the day in their new room then being picked up by you from their new room at the end of the day.

When moving into Victoria School House, a transition teacher is assigned to visiting children. His/ her role is to introduce the children to the Montessori equipment and induct them into the ways and routines of the room.

All food for the children’s meals and snacks is nutritionally balanced and freshly prepared in our own kitchen.

Breakfast of fruit, cereal, toast and milk is provided at 8.00 a.m. for children who attend on an extended day.

Morning and afternoon snacks, at around 10.30 a.m. and 2.30 p.m., may consist of fresh fruit and drinks with breadsticks, crackers or rice cakes.

A four-week-rotated lunch menu, at midday, is often a meat, fish or vegetarian-based stew, casserole or bake with staples such as pasta, rice or potatoes accompanied by fresh vegetables or salad. Desserts are homemade favourites such as apple crumble or carrot cake, fresh fruit salad or yoghurt.

Babies (under 1 year old) will have a hot pureed afternoon tea, served at 4.00 p.m., whereas older children’s tea may consist of sandwiches, filled pitta bread, crudités and dips, cheese scones, homemade biscuits with fresh or dried fruit and a drink. All meals do not knowingly contain GM foods. Vegetarian and special medical and religious diets can be catered for.Water is available to all children at all times.

We closely follow a baby’s home routine when they start at the nursery. When they are put to bed in their own nursery cot we put them to bed with the same ritual as at home, with their favourite soft toy or dummy, swaddled or stroked, to ensure your baby falls asleep calmly and stress-free.
In the Jubilee and Piccadilly room the children usually have an after-lunch sleep together on mattresses in their room. On waking, they can return to toys and activities when they wish.
Some of the younger Victoria School House children may also have a quiet post-lunch nap in their room.

Inclusion and Special Educational Needs
St. Patricks Nursery provides excellent provision for children with disabilities and/or complex medical conditions. These children are valued members of our community and fully participate in all aspects of nursery life. To facilitate the inclusion of these children, the nursery liaises with the local authority as designated special educational needs co-ordinator. Special Educational Needs co-ordinators are assigned to individual children and cater for their primary care needs, to provide learning support and curriculum access to meet their individual needs. Children with complex medical needs will have a special health care plan in place.

The nursery aims to provide equality of access to the curriculum for all children. We have strategies in place to identify, assess and review the education of children with special educational needs. Some pupils have barriers to learning, which require intervention by the nursery, such as an Individual Education Plan or additional support. Some children may need access to specialist support.

English as an Additional Language We provide children with English as an additional language with experiences that allows them to develop and enhance their English Language, while continuing to build upon and celebrate their own home language and culture, in a safe environment.